An investigation into a man found dead inside a car at a student housing complex Tuesday morning started with a call to the Sheriff’s Office at about 3:30 a.m.

The report of an incident in the 2600 block of Mission Road – where Leon County Sheriff’s Office forensic investigators spent most of the day gathering evidence from a duplex – eventually led detectives to a silver Toyota car parked three miles away in the rear lot of the U Club apartments on the corner of Brevard Street and Woodward Avenue.

At about 10:30 a.m., investigators found 32-year-old Hoyt Q. Birge dead inside the car. The cause of his death is still under investigation, but foul play is likely, said Lt. Grady Jordan.

Birge had a history of drug-related arrests and convictions dating back a decade, according to Florida Department of Corrections records.

Jordan said it did not appear the man drove the car to the apartment complex just north of the Florida State University campus, but could not comment where his body was found in the car.

Florida State student Edward Garcia was walking his dog when investigators were uncovering Birge's body. Garcia said the trunk of the silver Toyota was open; inside he could see a large object in white wrapping. Garcia said LCSO investigators placed a tent over the car and loaded a large object, he believed was a body, into a waiting forensics van.

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Jordan said a number of people were questioned about Birge's death and the incident at the Mission Road duplex Tuesday. It was through information gleaned from the initial call that investigators were able to find Birge's body.

Investigators are still trying to put the pieces together to determine how he died.

“We don’t know what exactly happened. We’re still doing interviews," Jordan said Tuesday morning. "There are multiple subjects that we have to locate to determine exactly what did occur. Obviously, there was some foul play involved.”

Throughout the day Tuesday, crime scene and forensic investigators gathered evidence from the Mission Road duplex. Neighbors said they regularly saw people at the home doing repairs on the roof after a large tree damaged it but were unsure if anyone lived there full time.

Anyone with information about Birge's death is asked to call LCSO at (850) 606-3400 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter